FIGS. 1 and 2 respectively illustrate a tape media 20 and a tape cartridge 30. Tape media 20 is contained with a shell housing 31 of tape cartridge 30 that is adapted to interface with a tape drive 50 having a front end 51 shown in FIG. 3 and a rear end 52 shown in FIG. 4.
Specifically, tape cartridge 30 includes exterior cartridge shell 31 and sliding door 32. Sliding door 32 is slid open when tape cartridge 30 is inserted into tape drive 50. Sliding door 32 is normally closed when tape cartridge 30 is not in use, so that debris and contaminants do not enter tape cartridge 30 and degrade tape media 20. The direction that tape cartridge 30 is slid into the tape drive is shown as direction 35. Tape cartridge 30 also contains a cartridge memory 34, which is on a printed circuit board 33. Cartridge memory 34 is preferably at a 45° angle, to allow tape drive 50 and pickers of an automated storage library (not shown) to access the contents of cartridge memory 34.
Tape media 20 includes a tape reel 21, which is prevented from rotation by a brake button 22 when tape cartridge 30 is inserted in tape drive 50. Tape drive 50 releases brake button 22 when tape cartridge 30 is inserted into tape drive 50, which then allows the free rotation of tape reel 21. Tape reel 21 is wound with tape 25, which is preferably magnetic tape having edge guard bands, servo bands and data tracks as known in the art (e.g., a servo band 26 as shown). Alternatively, tape 25 could equally be in the art (e.g., a servo band 26 as shown). Alternatively, tape 25 could equally be magneto-optical or optical phase-change tape. On the free end of tape 25 is an optional leader tape 23 and leader pin 24. When tape cartridge 30 is slid into the tape drive, sliding door 32 is opened, and the tape drive threads leader pin 24 and attached leader tape 23 and tape 25 through the tape path. Tape 25 may be a data tape or a cleaner tape. Tape 25 may use the identical formulation of tape for both data and cleaning purposes. The contents of cartridge memory 34 are used to distinguish tape cartridge 30 as either a data cartridge or a cleaner cartridge. Optional leader tape 23 is preferably a thicker section of tape 25 which better withstand the load/unload operations of tape drive 50.
Currently, when data is stored on tape media 20, it is impossible to guarantee that tape cartridge 30 will not be stolen from a storage system (e.g., an automated data library) that contains tape cartridge 30 because it is easy for a person to pocket or otherwise conceal tape cartridge 30 and walk away with it. Essentially, preventing a removable media such as tape media 20 from being stolen contradicts the removable property of tape media 20. Therefore, it would be invaluable to a have a technique of preventing a removable media such as tape media 20 from being read after it has been stolen.